Ishqbaaz - Two hearts, Two Souls.

Part 12 We Stay Together

After saying goodnight to Vikram and Haya, Anika shut the door, leaning her back against the wooden smooth surface. She walked into her room. The babies were sprawled across her bed. Chuckling, she arranged them well. They had their own room down the hall way but she always let them sleep with her. Taking of her dress and removing her make-up, she was putting on her PJs when she heard the door bell. Deep down she knew who it was before she opened the door. Tying on her robe, she swung the door open. He walked in casually clicking the door shut behind him.
SSO:"As I said earlier, we need to talk".
Looking into his eyes she indicated a sofa, taking an armchair opposite him.
A:" What do you want to talk about Shivaay?"
SSO:" About us... Everything!"
A:"There is no us Shivaay! Remember, you left me for another woman"
Standing up, she stood by the long Windows watching the street below.
A:" Where is Tia by the way? I was expecting to see both of you take center stage at the party."
SSO: "There is no Tia Anika, there never was"
He also stood up to stand behind her.
"I never married Tia, Anika. I want you back where you belong, the whole family does"
A:"It's not so simple Shivaay. I have made a life here"
Grabbing her arm forcefully he turned her round to face him.
SSO:" Are you by any chance referring to that... what's his name... Ah yes Vikram?"
A:" Look Shivaay, you just can't come in here and..."
Shivaan: "Mama!"
The tiny toddler rushed into the room straight to Anika's arms.
"Hello sweetie, what's the matter?"
Shivaan:" Tiv"
A: "No TV tonight, it's late."
That was when he noticed another man in the room and it was not Uncle Vikram. Gazing at the stranger for a moment or two, he hid his face in his mother's kneck. Turning to look at Shivaay, he standing very still, not a single muscle moved. It was when he saw her taking the child to the room did he rush after her. Placing Shivaan on the bed and finally coaxing him back to sleep. She looked up to find Shivaay at the door, his body tense. His eyes a deeper blue than ever. Ushering him away, she shut the door silently. As soon as the door closed, he jerked her to him.
SSO:" He's mine isn't he? With those eyes...he has to be!"
A: "Yes!"
SSO:" And the other one?"
A:"Twins"
SSO:"That means.."
A:"Yes. I found out I was pregnant when I got here"
SSO: My God Anika! If I hadn't found you, I probably would never know that I had children! Do you hate me that much? That you would keep my sons from me?"
A: "What the hell was I supposed to do? Huh? You already have a child! You are married to Tia!"
Shivaay spoke quietly that she didn't almost hear.
"I never married Tia"
A:"What?.. What did you just say?"
SSO:"I never married Tia Anika."
A:" But..But you made me sign the divorce papers, she's was pregnant!"
SSO: "All a lie. Tia was never pregnant."
He went ahead and told her about Tia's lies and how Dr. Chatterji arrived and revealed the whole truth.
"I want you back Anika."
"It's not simple Shivaay, remember? We're divorced" Anika told him solemnly.
"But that's where you're wrong. We are still married. We're still man and wife"
"But.. but the papers?"
"Yes, you signed them, I never did"
"Look Shivaay, I have built a life here for me and my sons..
He interupts her. " Our sons.. what life? A life without their father? Their family? What if today something happens to you? Then what? They will be alone, without their family...Dumped in some orphanage?"
She turns towards the window. Shivaay comes and stands behind, he holds her by the shoulders, pulling her to rest against him, smelling the the sweet citrus flowery fragrance of her hair.
"So you want us to go back the way we were? How can we do that Shivaay? And for how long? When another Tia comes along and you realize I have no use for you?"
"That's not true Anika! And you know it!"
"But That's How You Made ME Feel Shivaay! What? You think I want to be with a man who tomorrow abandons me because quote ' He needs to fix a problem, he has to get me out of the way first. Drop me at the slightest sign of trouble? I can't live like that! I have two babies who come first!" She said finally drawing in breath. Her chest heaving.
Shivaay runs his fingers through his hair making them rise in spikes.
"I'm not saying otherwise Anika. I want us to be a family. Me, you and the twins."
"But for how long Shivaay?" She cried out.
"Forever" he pulls her to him, resting her head on his chest. "I promise you, forever".
She pulled back. "You have to go now, it's getting late"
Shivaay smiled "No, I'm staying the night"
Anika: "What.. but.."
SSO: "I'm not going anywhere, Anika. I have just found you, I'll be damned if I let you out of my sight!"
Anika: "But where will you sleep? The other room contains the twins' cribs and at night the stay with me".
SSO: "We are married Anika. No matter what we share the bed"

The following morning
Shivaay wakes up to find two pair of blue eyes, so like his staring intently at him. It wasn't everyday that the twins woke up to find a stranger in their bed. They were both sitting on their heels on the bed looking at him. He got up ackwardly and smiled at them. They didn't smile back, instead tilting their head in an identical move as if trying to get a measure of him. Then Anish spoke. Just one word. "Man"
SSO: Yes, yes, I am a man but I'm your Abba." He thinks, "Where's Anika?"
As if on cue, she bustled in. "Good you're awake. Mere bache, breakfast time!"
The two boys scrambled down the bed and rushed out of the room.
Anika smiling: "Good morning! Get ready for breakfast."
SSO: "Good morning.." but before he could utter another word, she was gone.
Both boys were strapped in their highchairs digging into their cereal. They were in the kitchen eating at the work table which also served as a dining table. He could see that she had set a place for him on the table. Sitting, he looked from one boy to another, then looked at her for help. Smiling, her hand ruffling one of the twins' hair saying "This is Anish", tinkling him "you'll recognize him by the tiny dimple on his left cheek" then crossing over to repeat the process with the other twin "And, this is Shivaan, you know him by his loop side grin. Gradually you will get to recognize them by their characters but believe me these are just the major ones!"
Shivaay felt lost. He had hardly been around children and his were just over a year old. It frightened the hell out of him. Seeming to realize this, she placed a hand on his arm. He turned to look at her with difficulty, not wanting to tear his eyes away from the boys. "Don't worry Shivaay. Just be yourself around them, you are their father, it will come through" Nodding, he picked up his cup of coffee.
Later that morning, he was able to see to the twins bath. It was a messy business and by the time he was through, his shirt was wet and plastered to his skin, trying to hold one wriggling child in each arm. If giving them a bath was hard, putting on their clothes was a challenge. They were like tiny slippery mice, who don't stay still. At last, Anika came to his rescue, finishing the task in less than 10 minutes.
By afternoon, they were all softly tucked in Shivaay's penthouse room in the hotel. Shivaay was busy on his cellphone, making arrangements for their return to India. He hadn't told anyone about Anika or the boys yet. Anika was busy trying to tie up loose ends before their departure at the end of the week. He had to use all his charm to finally convince her to return to India with him. He silently promised himself he was never going to let her go away from him again. It was a lucky break that he found out where she was. He had been negotiating the takeover bid for the hotel for months. He never planned to visit Istanbul but luckily an employee had gotten hold of all the employee portfolio and there she was, just like that. He could hardly believe it. He flew there as soon as possible only to find that she had left the hotel. But fate was on his side. When he saw her last night, it took every bit of his strong will not to kiss her senseless.
A cry from the bedroom brought him out of his reverie. The boys were awake in their cribs. Upon seeing him, they both kept quiet looking at him. They didn't reach out to him like he had seen them do with Anika. Sighing, he bent down and picked them up bringing them to the living room. He ordered a meal for them and had set them on the floor to eat. He moved back to sit on an armchair watching them. He still can't believe it. He was the father of two babies. Apart from his eyes, they had also inherited his nose and face. Anika was there too, they have her mouth and shape of head. Yes, they had made beautiful babies. Determinedly, he thought, 'Nothing was going to keep his family apart. From now onwards, they stay together'.